How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, 2013, Tables 222, 306, and 308. Postsecondary Institutions and Enrollment, Fall 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, 2013, Tables 221, 225, 227, and 265. Enrollment at Degree-Granting Institutions, Fall 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, 2012, Table 226; unpublished IPEDS data. Undergraduate Enrollment, Fall 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Includes certificates and degrees awarded at degree-granting and non-degree-granting Title IV institutions. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, 2013, Tables 310 and 311. Postsecondary Degrees Awarded,

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, 2013, Table 223. Fall Enrollment at Degree-Granting Institutions by Sector, 1970–2010, Selected Years

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Certificates existed prior to , but reliable data on the number awarded in academic years prior to then are not available. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, 2013, Tables 310 and 323. Postsecondary Degrees Awarded, to , Selected Years

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Certificates existed prior to , but reliable data on the number awarded in academic years prior to then are not available. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, 2013, Tables 310 and 323. Percentage Distribution of Undergraduate Degrees Awarded, to , Selected Years

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Median Annual Earnings and Employment Status of Individuals Ages 25 and Older by Education Level, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Earnings of Individuals Ages 25 and Older Relative to High School Graduates by Education Level and Employment Status, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Female-to-Male Earnings Ratios for Individuals Ages 25 and Older by Education Level and Employment Status, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: The race categories include individuals who reported non-Hispanic and who reported only one race. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 and Older Relative to High School Graduates, by Race/Ethnicity, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Median Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 and Older by Race/Ethnicity, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012b, Table P-24; U.S. Census Bureau, 1995–2012a, PINC tables; U.S. Census Bureau, 1992–1994; calculations by the authors. Median Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 and Older Relative to Median Earnings of High School Graduates, by Education Level, 1991−2011, Selected Years

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Because of changes in the question on educational attainment, data for the following education levels are not available for 1990 and prior: some college, no degree; associate degree; bachelor’s degree; and advanced degree. The data presented in this figure are based on the Current Population Survey and therefore may not perfectly match median earnings data presented elsewhere in this publication that are based on the American Community Survey. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012b, Table P-24; U.S. Census Bureau, 1995–2012a, PINC tables; U.S. Census Bureau, 1992–1994; calculations by the authors. Median Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 and Older Relative to Median Earnings of High School Graduates, by Education Level, 1987−2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012b, Table P-24; calculations by the authors. Median Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Whose Highest Degree Is a Bachelor’s Degree Relative to High School Graduates, by Gender, 2001 to 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: Data for 1993 and prior: National Center for Education Statistics, 2004, Table 14-1; Data for 1994 and after: U.S. Census Bureau, 1995–2012, PINC tables; calculations by the authors. Median Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25–34 with At Least a Bachelor’s Degree Relative to High School Graduates, by Gender, 1971–2011, Selected Years

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, 2004, Table 14-1; U.S. Census Bureau, 1995–2012, PINC tables; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012b, Table P-24; calculations by the authors. Median Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Whose Highest Degree Is a Bachelor’s Degree Relative to High School Graduates, by Gender and Age, 1991, 2001, and 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012c; calculations by the authors. Earnings Distribution of All Income-Earners Ages 35 to 44 by Education Level, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: The percentages shown in parentheses on the vertical axis represent the percentage of all earners within each income category. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012c; calculations by the authors. Distribution of Education Levels Within Earnings Categories, All Income Earners Ages 35 to 44, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012; calculations by the authors. Labor Force Participation and Unemployment Rates of Individuals Ages 23 to 26 and Ages 27 to 30, by Education Level, 2012

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Median Annual Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 to 64 Relative to High School Graduates, by Education Level and Age Group, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Median Earnings of Full-Time Year-Round Workers by Age and Education Level, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Estimates are based on 2011 earnings for full-time workers in different age groups. Assumes a 40-year work life, from age 25 to age 65, for all workers. SOURCE: Baum, Ma, & Payea, 2013, Figure 1.2, based on data from the March 2012 Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey. Median Estimated Lifetime Earnings of Full-Time Workers Relative to High School Graduates, by Education Level, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCE: Baum, Ma, & Payea, 2013, Figure 1.2, based on data from the March 2012 Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey. Median Earnings Relative to Median Earnings of High School Graduates, Full-Time Workers by Age and Educational Attainment, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Occupations Requiring at Least a Bachelor’s Degree and Highest Degree of Full-Time Workers, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Largest Occupations of Bachelor’s Degree Recipients Ages 25 and Older Employed Full Time, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Earnings and Educational Attainment of Full-Time Workers Ages 25 and Older Employed in Occupations with Large Numbers of Advanced Degree Recipients, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011; calculations by the authors. Large Occupations Employing Both High School Graduates and Bachelor’s Degree Recipients, 2011

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Based on data from the 2005–2009 American Community Survey five-year data file. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012b, Table 1.11 Percentage Distribution of Highest Education Level of Workers Ages 25 and Older in Selected Occupations, 2009

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012a, Table 6 and Table 7. Occupations Projected to Have Most Rapid Growth and Largest Increases in Number of Jobs, 2010 and 2020

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009; calculations by the authors. Outcomes by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Age Group: Students Who First Enrolled in

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. *Small sample sizes. Interpret with caution. NOTE: A “stopout” is defined as a break in enrollment of five or more consecutive months. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009; calculations by the authors. Outcomes by Enrollment Intensity and Continuity of Enrollment, Students Who First Enrolled in

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: In the for-profit sector, 24% of enrollments were in four-year institutions and 76% were in two-year (or less) institutions. These sectors are combined because of small sample sizes. Because some students transferred between and , they did not receive their credentials from the institutions at which they began. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009; calculations by the authors. Outcomes by Sector, Students Who First Enrolled and Enrolled Full Time in

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: High school GPA is unavailable for 27% of enrolling students. The sample size for students with high school GPA lower than 1.5 is too small for reliable reporting. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009; calculations by the authors. Percentage Distribution of Outcomes by High School GPA, Students Who First Enrolled in at Age 24 or Younger

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Test scores are unavailable for 36% of enrolling students. Students who took the ACT but not the SAT are included with their scores converted to the SAT scale. Percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009; calculations by the authors. Percentage Distribution of Outcomes by High School SAT/ACT Scores, Students Who First Enrolled in at Age 24 or Younger

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. NOTE: Income quartiles, corresponding to 2002 family income, are (1) Less than $30,489; (2) $30,489–$56,068; (3) $56,069–$88,516; (4) $88,517 or higher. SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009; calculations by the authors. Outcomes by Family Income, Dependent Students Who First Enrolled in

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCE: Baum & Payea, Trends in Student Aid 2012, Figure 11A. Educational Attainment by 2009 of Students First Enrolling in , by Total Amount Borrowed (and Overall Percentage of Students in Debt Category)

How College Shapes LivesFor detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. SOURCE: Baum & Payea, Trends in Student Aid 2012, Figure 11C. Amount Borrowed by Students Who First Enrolled in and Left Without Completing a Degree or Certificate by 2009, by Length of Enrollment (with Percentages of Students Within Enrollment Category)